More than three crore children in 115 districts of Pakistan Polio Preventive vaccination campaign Running from September 9 to September 15. 17 positive cases of polio have been reported in Pakistan this year.
This year, 12 polio cases including one each from Dera Bugti, Qila Abdullah, Quetta, Jhal Magsi, Zhob, Qila Saifullah, and Kharan have been reported in Balochistan. Balochistan did not have a single positive case of polio in the last two years, but this year, after 12 positive cases were reported in eight months, the risk of transmission of the virus has increased.
A positive case of polio has been reported in Punjab in the recent year, this case has been reported from Chakwal district, where no case has been reported for the past decade. Not a single case had come to light in Punjab during the last three years.
Three positive cases have been reported in Sindh this year. In Sindh, one case has been reported from Shikarpur, one from Karachi Kemari, and one from Hyderabad. Also, Islamabad reported a new case this year after almost 16 years, while no cases were reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where four cases were reported last year.
According to the spokesperson of National Emergency Operations Center Sindh Nofal Naqvi, ‘The matter of concern is that the presence of polio virus is also showing in the environmental samples taken from different areas of Sindh, which has increased the risk of transmission of the virus. ‘
According to Nofal Naqvi, during the anti-polio campaign that will run from September 9 to September 15, 9.4 million children under the age of five will be administered polio drops in 30 districts of Sindh. More than 70,000 frontline workers are participating to make this campaign a success, who will go door-to-door, administer polio vaccine to children in schools and hospitals.
Last year, 40 union councils of the country were declared as high-risk union councils for the spread of the virus by the anti-polio programme. Among them are eight USCs of Karachi, five of Qila Abdullah district of Balochistan, six of Quetta, and three Union Councils of Pishin, while 18 Union Councils of Peshawar are included.
The World Health Organization has expressed concern over the increase in positive polio cases in the country since the second half of last year.
Global history of poliovirus
According to the Anti-Polio Program Pakistan website, in the early twentieth century poliovirus was one of the most feared diseases in industrialized countries. The virus used to paralyze millions of children every year in industrialized countries. After the introduction of effective vaccines in the 1950s and 1960s, polio was brought under control in industrialized countries and the virus was virtually eliminated as a health emergency in those countries.
It took a little longer for polio to be recognized as a major problem in developing countries. Physical disability surveys during the 1970s showed that the disease was common even in developing countries.
In the 1970s, routine polio vaccination was introduced as part of national immunization programs worldwide, helping to control the disease in many developing countries.
In 1988, polio was paralyzing more than 1,000 children worldwide every day. Since 1988, when the Global Polio Eradication Campaign began, global polio rates have fallen by 99 percent.
Under this global campaign, more than 2.5 billion children have been vaccinated against polio as a result of the cooperation of more than 200 countries and two million volunteers and the international investment of more than 11 billion US dollars.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the two countries in the world where the transmission of polio virus has not yet been eradicated, despite the massive amount of money and efforts of volunteers at the global level.
Since when is polio vaccine being given in Pakistan?
In the recent year 2024, 30 years have been completed since the official administration of anti-polio vaccine in Pakistan. In Pakistan, polio vaccine was officially introduced in 1994.
In 1994, the then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto started the anti-polio campaign in Pakistan by administering polio drops to her youngest daughter Asifa Bhutto. By administering the polio vaccine to his daughter, the then prime minister conveyed the message that it was a safe vaccine that everyone could administer to their children.
At that time, the number of polio-affected children in Pakistan was in thousands. Since 1994, anti-polio vaccine campaign has been conducted almost every year, but despite the completion of 30 years of this campaign, Pakistan has not been able to get rid of the polio virus.
Why Pakistan could not get rid of polio despite decades of polio vaccine campaign?
According to the Anti-Polio Program Pakistan website, various regions of Pakistan face challenges in eradicating the disease due to ongoing conflicts, political instability, hard-to-reach areas and poor infrastructure. Each country has unique problems that require local solutions.
In 2013, the Global Polio Eradication Campaign released its most comprehensive strategic plan to eradicate polio, including measures to eradicate polio from the last endemic areas and maintain a polio-free world. were clearly listed. But it has not been fully implemented in Pakistan yet.
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In addition, some people consider the anti-polio vaccine to be anti-religious and refuse to give the vaccine to their children. After that, the Polio Emergency Operations Center and the Health Department also received a fatwa from several religious scholars, according to which polio vaccine is not against the orders of religion and people can give polio vaccine to their children.
According to National Emergency Operations Center Coordinator Captain (Rtd) Muhammad Anwar Haq, ‘Some people say that children are not at home despite the presence of children at home. Special teams have been formed to vaccinate such children.
Captain (retd) Muhammad Anwarul Haq admitted that the main reason why polio has not been eradicated from Pakistan is that the anti-polio vaccine campaign in Pakistan has not been conducted properly.
Speaking to Independent Urdu, Captain (Rtd) Muhammad Anwar Haq said: ‘If a good campaign is carried out all over Pakistan, in which more than 95% of children are vaccinated, then the polio virus will be completely eradicated from Pakistan. will
It usually happens in Pakistan that a good campaign is conducted in one province and not so effective in another province. People have to move from one place to another.
Like Karachi where children come from all over the country. Where there is no good campaign, the children bring the virus. In this way the virus reaches the areas, where there is a good campaign.’
One question is that there is a general belief that the transmission of the virus is increasing due to people coming from Afghanistan? In response, Captain (Rtd) Muhammad Anwarul Haq said: ‘We are conducting anti-polio campaign in Pakistan in September and October, so the campaign will be conducted in Afghanistan at the same time. so that it can be controlled.’
It should be noted that in the past there were murderous attacks on the polio team in some areas of Pakistan and many polio workers lost their lives, but despite this the polio campaign continued instead of stopping and now the police and other law enforcement officials are required to protect the polio team. are also together.
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#Completed #years #polio #vaccine #campaign #Pakistan #ended
2024-09-11 23:55:39
**Pakistan’s Struggle to Eradicate Polio: Challenges and Concerns**
Table of Contents
Pakistan’s Struggle to Eradicate Polio: Challenges and Concerns
Polio, a deadly disease that was once on the brink of elimination, has made a concerning comeback in Pakistan. Despite concerted efforts by the government and health organizations, the country has reported 17 positive cases of polio in 2024, with 12 cases emerging from Balochistan, 3 from Sindh, 1 from Punjab, and 1 from Islamabad. This worrying trend has raised questions about Pakistan’s ability to eradicate polio once and for all.
The State of Polio in Pakistan
According to a recent report, more than three crore children in 115 districts of Pakistan are being vaccinated against polio as part of a campaign running from September 9 to September 15 [[1]]. Health workers have begun a campaign to vaccinate 9.5 million children against polio in 41 districts in Pakistan this week [[1]]. This effort is crucial, considering that Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world where polio remains endemic, the other being Afghanistan.
Global History of Polio
Polio has a long and troubling history, particularly in industrialized countries where it was once responsible for paralyzing millions of children every year [[4]]. The introduction of effective vaccines in the 1950s and 1960s brought the disease under control in developed countries, virtually eliminating it as a health emergency. However, it took longer for polio to be recognized as a major problem in developing countries, where routine polio vaccination was introduced as part of national immunization programs in the 1970s [[4]].
Challenges in Eradication Efforts
Pakistan’s polio eradication program was officially launched in 1994, with over 100 rounds of vaccination conducted over the past two decades [[2]]. Despite these efforts, the disease continues to persist, with environmental samples taken from different areas of Sindh showing the presence of the polio virus, increasing the risk of transmission [[1]]. The World Health Organization has expressed concern over the increase in positive polio cases in the country since the second half of last year [[1]].
Campaigns and Initiatives
To combat the resurgence of polio, the National Emergency Operations Center Sindh has initiated a campaign to vaccinate 9.4 million children under the age of five in 30 districts of Sindh. Over 70,000 frontline workers are participating in the campaign, which aims to reach children in schools, hospitals, and through door-to-door visits [[1]].
Concerns and Recommendations
The recent outbreak of polio cases in Pakistan is a cause for concern, particularly in areas where the disease had previously been under control. It is essential to strengthen eradication efforts, increase vaccination coverage, and improve surveillance to detect and respond to cases promptly. The government, health organizations, and civil society must work together to ensure that every child in Pakistan is vaccinated against polio, and that the disease is finally eradicated.
Conclusion
Pakistan’s struggle to eradicate polio is a complex and ongoing challenge. While significant progress has been made in reducing polio cases globally, the recent resurgence of cases in Pakistan highlights the need for sustained efforts and commitment to eliminate the disease. With continued support from the government, health organizations, and civil society, it is possible to eradicate polio from Pakistan and ensure a polio-free future for generations to come.
References:
[1] Al Jazeera. (2024). Will Pakistan ever be able to eradicate polio? Retrieved from
[2] Faizan, A. (2024). Re-emergence of polio in Pakistan: Can the nation overcome the challenges? Retrieved from
[3] UNICEF Pakistan. (n.d.). Polio. Retrieved from
[4] Anti-Polio Program Pakistan. (n.d.). Global History of Polio. Retrieved from
Polio in Pakistan 2024
Polio Eradication Efforts in Pakistan: A Comprehensive Overview
Pakistan is currently grappling with a significant polio outbreak, with 17 positive cases reported in 2024. Despite decades of efforts to eradicate the disease, the country remains one of the few where polio transmission has not been stopped. In this article, we will delve into the current polio situation in Pakistan, the history of poliovirus, and the challenges faced by the country in eliminating the disease.
Current Polio Situation in Pakistan
This year, 12 polio cases have been reported in Balochistan, a province that had not seen a single case in the last two years. Additionally, one case has been reported in Punjab, three in Sindh, and one in Islamabad. The World Health Organization has expressed concern over the increase in positive polio cases in the country since the second half of last year.
To combat the outbreak, a mass vaccination campaign is being conducted from September 9 to September 15, targeting over 3 crore children in 115 districts across Pakistan. In Sindh alone, 9.4 million children under the age of five will be administered polio drops in 30 districts.
Global History of Poliovirus
Poliovirus was once a major health emergency in industrialized countries, paralyzing millions of children every year. However, with the introduction of effective vaccines in the 1950s and 1960s, polio was brought under control and virtually eliminated in these countries.
In developing countries, routine polio vaccination was introduced in the 1970s as part of national immunization programs, helping to control the disease. In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Campaign was launched, and since then, global polio rates have fallen by 99 percent